The present invention generally relates to sports equipment. More specifically, the invention relates to a novel snowboard binding design.
Snowboarding has gained popularity as a winter sport in the last several decades. A typical snowboard requires a binding structure attached to a surface of a snowboard. This binding structure, commonly called a “snowboard binding,” enables a snowboarder's foot to be firmly attached to the snowboard. Snowboarders typically wear specialized snowboard boots on both feet and place each snowboard boot inside a snowboard binding per foot (i.e. a left-foot snowboard binding and a right-foot snowboard binding) when the snowboard binding is already attached to the snowboard.
Conventional snowboard bindings are difficult to adjust once they are configured to a particular position or an angle with an attached snowboard boot and a snowboard. For example, the rotational angle of a snowboarder's foot cannot be adjusted easily once the snowboard boot is bound in a conventional snowboard binding. It is also difficult to adjust an angle of a snowboarder's calf once the snowboard boot is bound in a conventional snowboard binding. Moreover, the snowboarder cannot quickly slide in and out of the conventional snowboard binding using conventional strap designs. Therefore, the physically-restrictive nature of conventional snowboard binding designs causes discomfort and inconvenience to snowboarders.
Accordingly, a novel snowboard binding which provides more flexible adjustments and easier foot entry and exit from a snowboard binding may provide significant benefits to snowboarders. Furthermore, a novel snowboard binding which provides adjustment flexibilities to snowboarders while retaining a level of safety and reliability comparable or superior to conventional snowboard designs may be highly beneficial.